Audio Conversation:
What if Laban had much better organizational skills then the Bible gave him credit for, and what if Rebekah had a camel with some... complications? This wiki, entitled "Laban's Checklist" after the important conversation that never happened, explains it all, as a confrontation takes place between Rebekah and Laban over Laban's mistreatment of Jacob, Rebekah's favorite son, during a newly revealed scene, never seen in the Bible (please forgive the play on words). This wiki also features an audio version of the conversation and its script, as well as analyses of the cunning characters of Rebekah and Laban with a webspiration chart outlining those analyses. Background of the art present in accordance with the analyses and lastly a reflection on the process of the creation of this non-existing-conversation-from-Genesis project also stand as elements of this wiki. Please enjoy viewing one of the most vital conversations that never happened: "Laban's Checklist."
The Conversation
*opening music
*sound effect: every time Laban checks something off, there should be the sound effect of a scratchy pen on paper.
Narrator: Have you ever wondered how Laban planned and kept track of all of his schemes against Jacob? Have you ever wanted to know more about the relationship between the siblings, Laban and Rebekah? Have you ever tried to imagine what was happening with Laban when Jacob just packed up his bags and left? Well, this story, set in Laban's tent in Paddan-aram three days after Jacob fled from Laban, explains it all!
Laban: (sound of shuffling feet) Home at last! Shearing sheep is hard! Hmm... Now where did my household gods go? Strange. They were here three days ago... Oh, well. At least there's finally some peace and quiet for once! Maybe I can get some real work done! Now, where did that checklist of mine go? Hmmm... (shuffling of papers) Ah! There it is. Let me see... I haven't checked off my plans in a quite some time! Okay, greeted Jacob warmly just like a jolly old uncle should? Check! Made him slave over work to make profit for me for seven years? Check! Tricked him into sleeping with Leah instead of Rachel on his wedding night? Check! Made him complete the marital ceremony with Leah? Check! Made him work for me for another seven years? Check!
Rebekah: (sound of footsteps) Laban! Brother! Nice to see you!
Laban: Set a deal with Jacob to make him stay and work for me some more? Check!
Rebekah: Laban?
Laban: Made sure to swindle him out of said deal as much as possible by stealing away all the spotted, speckled, and striped sheep and goats
promised to him and placing them a three-days-journey away from him? Check!
Rebekah: (bright) Laban!
Laban: AHH! Good God Almighty! You scared me, woman! How did you get into this tent?! Oh, wait... Rebekah? Sister! (nervous) Um, how wonderful it is to see you!
Rebekah: Oh, Laban! I have missed you so much! How is my lovely brother doing?
Laban: (nervously) I'm doing great. Great. Um... how was your journey?
Rebekah: Oh! It was terrible! But never fear! Anything is worth it to see my favorite big brother! Unfortunately, I cannot stay for long due to, er, some complications with my camel.
Laban: What kind of complications?
Rebekah: Well, it's a very special sort of camel. You see, it gets me to my destination instantly. That is why I do not have any servants with me.
Laban: Ah, I was wondering why there was no one protecting my beloved sister.
Rebekah: And, it only works once, so I can only stay at my chosen destination for about ten minutes maximum. But on the bright side, at least it gives me a round trip! I named it "Metro."
Laban: Ah.
Rebekah: Yes, do you want to come meet him?
Laban: Oh, no! That's okay! Really!
Rebekah: Anyway, I brought you a little something.
Laban: Aw, Rebekah, you shouldn't have!
Rebekah: Well, it's only proper! And I just wanted to show how much I love my darling brother! Here you go!
(metallic "ding" sound effect)
Laban: A silver bowl! Dear sister, this is too much! You must take it back!
Rebekah: No! I wanted you to have it! Whenever you look at it, it can remind you of me!
Laban: You are too kind!
(pause)
Rebekah: Laban, are you not going to tell me how my son is doing?
Laban: (nervous) Oh, he's doing just fine! He's a man now!
Rebekah: My little, bitty baby has grown up so much! (tears up) Aw. I knew I could trust you to raise him! You were always such a great brother to me!
Laban: (sheepishly/false humility) Yes, well, I guess I'm just the fatherly type!
Rebekah: Can I see him?
Laban: Oh! Well, he's really busy right now, so I think it would be best not to bother him.
Rebekah: Oh, alright. I trust you!
Laban: I'm glad we can have such a good relationship!
Rebekah: I know! (sighs) Oh, Laban?
Laban: (relaxed) Yes, dear sister?
Rebekah: Laban, I have in fact been meaning to ask you a few things.
Laban: Ask away!
Rebekah: How has Jacob been getting along career-wise?
Laban: One thing is for sure: he is an extremely successful young man! Everything he does prospers! Just take a look at my sheep! (chuckles)
Rebekah: I'm glad.
Laban: Was that all?
Rebekah: No, I also wanted to know what this was! (sound of paper being snatched away)
Laban: Hey! Give me that!
Rebekah: Laban? What is this? A checklist of evil plots against my son? What?!
Laban: Rebekah, I can explain-
Rebekah: You tricked him into sleeping with the wrong woman on the night of his wedding after he worked for you for seven years?!
Laban: I gave him the right one eventually!
Rebekah: You dare abuse the son of your own sister?!
Laban: Now, here’s where we should just agree to disagree.
Rebekah: Are you really that delusional?!
Laban: Hang on a second! I didn’t “abuse” your son. I merely hired him to help my cause-
Rebekah: Stop sugarcoating your words, you rotten piece of kumquat!
Laban: Now calm down, let's just talk this through.
Rebekah: Talk this through?! Have you misplaced your mind?! You dare misuse my favorite son?!
Laban: Slow down now! I never said that! All I did was --
Rebekah: (shouting) I DON’T CARE! You had the nerve to write a checklist of all the evil ploys you could carry out upon him?! Good God! I cannot believe how many terrible things you did to him! What did you think you were doing? You did not even bother to think I would ever find out? The thought that someone might go up to you and fight for Jacob's rights never even came into your puny, little mind? How could you do this? You are his uncle! I cannot believe you would stoop this low! I am going to give you the whipping of your life!
(huge crashing sound, then pause)
Laban: Great! You made the whole tent fall down! You’re going to have to pay for that! I don’t have insurance on this tent!
Rebekah: Let that be a reminder to you never to use my son wrongfully for your own selfish desires ever again!
Laban: What we need to do is just talk our differences out without trying to beat the pulp out of each other. Okay? Are you willing to do that for me? Your brother?
Rebekah: As disgusting a creature as you are I will agree to have a conversation with you without rearranging your face.
Laban: Thank you. First of all, let me just say that that was pretty sneaky how you came in here, acting all chummy with me, and then starting to beat me up.
Rebekah: (primly) I believe I had just cause to.
Laban: Well, I'm not the only one who's done questionable deeds. I heard you turned your back when Jacob tricked his older brother into selling him his birthright for a piece of bread and a bowl of lentil soup. And then you tricked your own husband into blessing the wrong son, Jacob, the younger brother, instead of the older one.
Rebekah: You know, considering, hypothetically of course, that I did do those things, they were still done for the greater good. It was God’s will! And at least I did them for someone else, instead of selfishly like you.
Laban: That doesn't change anything, sister. You're still deceitful, and you still manipulated people to get what you wanted, never mind that it was for another person. And you got what you wanted, didn't you? All the best for your favorite son. Maybe he should have been cut down to size. Maybe what I did was for the greater good also.
Rebekah: Don't you dare even think about plotting against my son any longer! You've done enough damage!
Laban: No more violence, remember!
Rebekah: (deep breath) Lord, please help me refrain from murdering my double-dealing, selfish brother. Amen. (another deep breath) Okay, let us continue our discussion in peace. Laban, I just want to say that I'm very disappointed that you broke your promise. Ever since we were little you promised that you would always love my children as your own.
Laban: Well, I lie to everyone. What makes you so special?
Rebekah: (incredulously) I am your sister!
Laban: (smugly) That just makes you more gullible.
Rebekah: (disgusted) Ugh! You are incorrigible! All you ever do is use people for your own gain. You will even double-cross them if it helps you get what you want!
Laban: So? You tricked your own poor, blind husband and then tricked me, your own brother, into a false sense of security to see what really happened to Jacob! I don’t think your using deceit to get what you want is any better than me, well, “double-crossing” people, as you say, to get what I want!
Rebekah: Of course it’s better! I'm a woman! That's the only way we women can get what we want! I can't help it if I'm a woman with ambition. I know what I want, and I generally will do anything to get it. Plus, double-crossing is one hundred times worse. I don't go around actually agreeing to do one thing and then doing the complete opposite like someone I know.
Laban: Even though I might not have been the nicest uncle, it's not like Jacob didn't prosper! Whatever he does, God is right up there with him to make sure it works. I might as well tag on for the ride!
Rebekah: But-
Laban: Rebekah, let's quit arguing with each other. We're not going to accomplish anything this way. Yes, we've done some morally gray things before. But let's face it. It's not our fault! It must be hereditary!
Rebekah: What?
Laban: It must be our father's fault that we're both so devious! Blame it on Bethuel!!!
Rebekah: (unimpressed) Yeah. Whatever. But I suppose I'll forgive you since you are my brother, and at least I know that Jacob is prospering no matter what happens to him. I suppose that that has been my goal from the start, to make sure that whatever he does prospers. Before I let you off the hook though, you must solemnly swear that, as God is your witness, you will never ever plot harm against my son ever again. Understood?
Laban: (meekly) Yes, ma'am. But you must also promise me something in return. Promise you'll stop meddling in my personal affairs?
Rebekah: Deal.
Laban: Well, I'm glad that's over. Before you leave, do you want to see your son?
Rebekah: Well, I do not really want him to know that his mother has been trying to keep tabs on him as much as possible. As much as it is hard to believe, Jacob is a grown man now. He probably will not be happy if he finds out that I am still trying to babysit him.
Laban: True. So, I'll see you around!
Rebekah: Yeah, I suppose. I am glad that we can part ways without killing each another.
Laban: Yes. It was good to see you, sister! Really. And --
(footsteps sound effect)
Laban's servant: Laban!
Laban: What is it?
Laban's servant: Jacob has up and left along with your two daughters and all his possessions behind your back! He has been traveling for three days!
Laban: How did we not notice this?!
Laban's servant: Good question, sir. I guess shearing sheep is distracting? But now might not be the time to think of a proper answer if we want to catch up to him!
(footsteps sound effect)
Rebekah: Laban! Don't you dare bring him any harm! Remember your promise!
Laban: I didn't exactly promise you anything! *Gasp!* I bet Jacob stole my household gods too! I must get them back! Jacob will pay for this treachery!
Rebekah: Do you know you sound like such a hypocrite right now?
Laban: Rebekah?
Rebekah: Yes, Laban?
Laban: I think your camel’s about to leave without you.
Rebekah: (shuffling of feet, tent flap opening, continued shouting) Ah! Wait for me, Metro!
Laban: Where’s my checklist? Oh, there! (sound of scribbling pen) Chase after Jacob, rebuke him, get back household gods, try to make him come back and work for me so I can profit some more... I think that does it! Servants! Let’s go after Jacob! (trumpet fanfare) (triumphantly) Chased after Jacob? Check!
*ending music ~The End~
Analysis of the Script
Great Minds Think Alike: A Mixture of Imagination and the Bible
Through “Laban’s Checklist,” Evelyn Vyse mainly tries to convey that as Rebekah has such an ambitious personality when it comes to making Jacob, her treasured son, succeed, Rebekah skillfully uses her deceitful character as her main tool to help her obtain her desire. In order to illustrate Rebekah’s greatest ambition, Vyse has Rebekah constantly plague Laban with questions about her precious child, specifically about his career and whether or not she can see him, during the script. Rebekah also repeatedly remarks how all she wants for her son is success without hindrance, showing her intense desire for “all the best for [her] favorite son” (Vyse 6). The indefinite pronoun “all” emphasizes that Rebekah wants every single good thing possible for her son, illustrating just how ambitious Rebekah stands as for wanting such an indefinitely large thing. In “Laban’s Checklist,” Rebekah wants to keep tabs on Laban’s treatment of Jacob to see if Laban is misusing Rebekah, and she will do anything to find out what is happening and how she can stop whatever obstacles may block Jacob’s road to success. In this script, Vyse narrows down the idea of Rebekah’s intense wish for her son’s success from the Bible into a new story about her trying to knock down her own brother, Laban, as a potential obstacle for Jacob.
Furthermore, as ambitions normally do not end in inaction, Rebekah uses deception to reach her true motive of obtaining information from Laban to open the doors to Jacob’s success, not caring that functioning as a liar may be morally wrong, but rather having a standpoint of “generally [doing] anything to get” (Vyse 6) what she wants. The fact that Rebekah does not care about serving as an immoral person, as she does not mind doing “anything,” another indefinite pronoun that shows Rebekah’s willingness to use an endless amount of possibly morally wrong paths, to reach her goals. Vyse not only shows Rebekah’s willingness to be immoral by using deceit, but she also makes several mentions to the fact of how Rebekah plays the perfect actress in the Bible, as she constantly tricks people, including her husband, Isaac, just to benefit Jacob, as well as having Rebekah go to Laban under the guise of the forever-loving sister during this script, only revealing her true motives when she loses her temper at Laban’s severe mistreatment of Jacob.
However, Vyse even goes farther to justify fact that Rebekah only uses deceit to fulfill her motivations by pointing out that women back in that age had very little power, so they often had to deceive those with power, the men, into bending to their will, something that Rebekah does very well both in the Bible with Isaac and in this script with Laban. Overall, Vyse creates “Laban’s Checklist” by weaving two different stories from her imagination and the Bible together to illustrate the sneaky character of Rebekah and how her scheming methods never change in her attempt to achieve her most prominent goal: the success of Jacob, her favorite son.
Character Analyses
The Art of Deception: The Dishonest Characters of Rebekah and Laban
As Rebekah has great ambitions, she often uses deceit to obtain her desires. Since Rebekah favors Jacob, her younger son, Rebekah orders Jacob to “obey [her] word as [she] command[s]” (Gen. 27.8) him in order to get the blessing from Isaac, her husband, that rightfully belongs to Esau, her elder son. The fact that Rebekah “command[s]” Jacob in order to steal him Isaac’s blessing illustrates how Rebekah shows aggressiveness as she strives to get others to help her satisfy her ambitious nature that plays such a significant role in her characterization. Rebekah’s act of striving to obtain her bold wish to make sure that her favorite son untraditionally receives her husband’s final blessing illustrates the larger motif of favoritism of the younger that stands as an integral part of Genesis in the Bible, as it comes up later with Isaac’s favoritism of Joseph and Benjamin, his youngest sons, and Ephraim, his youngest grandson.
Further on in the story of Rebekah’s infamous deed, during the actual event of Isaac blessing Jacob, as depicted in Gustave Dore’s illustration fittingly entitled Isaac Blessing Jacob, Rebekah stands with her body facing inward at the entrance of the room, while her head turns to keep watch for any movement outside, such as Esau’s return, as Jacob receives Isaac’s blessing. Her stance inside the room represents her responsibility for this event, as she feels she must see it through by standing witness to it, but at the same time her head is turned to check furtively outside, proving her heightened state of alertness as this act that she knows to be dishonest is taking place, consequently characterizing her as deceitful. Rebekah’s role as the catalyst for Jacob’s blessing represents the more prominent motif of trickery, specifically in regards to women, that plays a great role in Genesis in the Bible, manifesting itself in the characters of Lot’s daughters, Tamar, and Potiphar’s wife.
Rebekah’s brother, Laban, serves as another unscrupulous character in the Bible who has some similarities to Rebekah in terms of his deceitfulness butdiffers from Rebekah in his reasoning for and method of carrying out his deceitful acts. Due to Laban’s selfish nature, he often double-crosses other people to benefit himself. After residing for twenty years in Paddan-aram under Laban’s household, Jacob complains to his wives about how Laban had “cheated [Jacob] and changed [his] wages” (Gen. 31.7) multiple times. By pointing out how Laban “cheated” him, specifically by changing his wages, Jacob is implying that Laban lied and underhandedly manipulated him to gain something favorable for himself, thus characterizing Laban as selfish. This self-centered action of Laban’s translates to the bigger theme of greed, the driving motivation behind Laban’s actions in this case, that occurs often in Genesis, as well as the entire Bible specifically in the cases of Joseph’s brothers in Genesis and Judas in the New Testament.
Furthermore, Laban’s greedy character leads him to double-cross others. A specific case that exemplifies this is Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld’s painting, Jacob’s Deal for Rachel, set in Jacob’s first day in Paddan-arm, where Laban is making a deal with Jacob to have Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter shown standing in Jacob’s plain view, as his wife just as Jacob wishes in exchange for Jacob working for Laban for seven years. At the same time, Laban actually desires to traditionally marry off Leah, his eldest who is sitting hidden behind her father, first. Laban’s gentle hand on Jacob’s arm represents his willingness to strike a deal with Jacob, but at the same time his stance shielding Leah from Jacob’s eyes shows his true intent of wanting to have Jacob marry Leah, comprehensively characterizing him as duplicitous. Laban’s questionable act of double dealing with Jacob in order to fulfill his selfish desires shows the larger theme of moral ambiguity that plays a prominent role in Genesis with the characters of Abraham, Sarah, and Jacob to name a few.
Background of the Artwork
Gustave Dore, a world-famous nineteenth century French artist born in 1832, garnered fame through his illustrations of The Divine Comedy, particularly The Inferno. Dore also gained renown through his illustrations to Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote and Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. Dore created an illustrated version of the Bible, La Sainte Bible, first published in 1865 in France, where his illustration, Isaac Blessing Jacob, shown above with the character analysis of Rebekah, features. Dore - The Art Collection : A Collection of Gustave Dore's Art The Life of Gustave Dore : Biography of Gustave Dore
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, a German painter born in 1794, studied at the Vienna Academy, later moving to Rome in 1818 and joining the Nazarene Movement, a group of early nineteenth century German Romantic painters who tried to revive spirituality and honesty in Christian art. In his later years, Schnorr's artistic output diminished because of his administrative responsibilities as a director at the Academy in Dresden, Germany as well as his failing eyesight. Schnorr's final piece before he died in 1872 included a series of Bible illustrations published as wood engravings, including Jacob's Deal for Rachel, as shown in the character analysis of Laban above. The Life and Art of Schnorr: Biography of Schnorr and Collection of Schnorr's Art Schnorr - The Bible Collection: Bible Illustrations of Schnorr
Webspiration Chart
Reflection on the Process
A Personal Note From the Author: The Thoughts of Evelyn Vyse
Overall, the strongest part of this project probably stands as the script itself. However, the script ironically also serves as the biggest obstacle I encountered during the project. I really struggled to make the dialogue actually have a climactic moment. My first draft of the script basically consisted of Laban and Rebekah bickering the whole time, then suddenly reconciling with each other for no apparent reason, and parting ways. After realizing this, I had no idea how to rectify the situation, but I eventually figured out that I had to make much more of a contrast between the beginning, middle, and end parts of the script. So, in the first part of the script, I made Laban and Rebekah act really chummy towards each other, even though they were both only pretending to be glad to see each other, and then I had the climax occur when Rebekah discovers Laban's terrible treatment of her son, causing her to scream at him in a rant that causes the whole tent to fall down in an explosion. The dialogue gradually falls from the climax as Rebekah and Laban forgive each other but concludes with a rather open-ended finish, as Laban goes to chase after Jacob despite Rebekah's orders. In the end, after much perseverance and editing to overcome this challenge, I crafted a script for "Laban's Checklist" that ended up as the strongest point of my project.
On the other hand, I believe that my weakest point in this project shows up in my analyses of the characters Rebekah and Laban from Genesis, especially the original analyses I wrote. Generally, I feel that I wrote much too literal close analyses for both characters. However, seeing as the creation of those close analyses occurred several months ago, I am relieved to know that I had the ability to go back and edit my analyses a bit to improve them as well as knowing that I write close analyses that have a little bit more meaning now. Looking back on this entire project though, I think that those close analyses still stand as my weakest point.
Through this project, I learned that with hard work and undying persistence, I can accomplish nearly anything. This project pounded into my head the lesson of trying again and again if at first I do not succeed, such as in the writing of the script, until I finally come up with a satisfactory product. Ultimately, the biggest thing I learned about myself from this project is that I have a much more persistent and stubborn personality than I thought I did. Though these traits might cause some to think of me as obnoxious, in the end, my persistence and stubbornness allowed me to succeed in finishing this project and probably will continue to help me succeed in other areas in my life as well.
Citations
Bible
The New Oxford Annotated Bible. 1962. Ed. Michael D. Coogan. Augmented Third Edition ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. New
Revised Standard Version.
Laban's Checklist
by: Evelyn Vyse
Audio Conversation:
What if Laban had much better organizational skills then the Bible gave him credit for, and what if Rebekah had a camel with some... complications? This wiki, entitled "Laban's Checklist" after the important conversation that never happened, explains it all, as a confrontation takes place between Rebekah and Laban over Laban's mistreatment of Jacob, Rebekah's favorite son, during a newly revealed scene, never seen in the Bible (please forgive the play on words). This wiki also features an audio version of the conversation and its script, as well as analyses of the cunning characters of Rebekah and Laban with a webspiration chart outlining those analyses. Background of the art present in accordance with the analyses and lastly a reflection on the process of the creation of this non-existing-conversation-from-Genesis project also stand as elements of this wiki. Please enjoy viewing one of the most vital conversations that never happened: "Laban's Checklist."
The Conversation
*opening music*sound effect: every time Laban checks something off, there should be the sound effect of a scratchy pen on paper.
Narrator: Have you ever wondered how Laban planned and kept track of all of his schemes against Jacob? Have you ever wanted to know more about the relationship between the siblings, Laban and Rebekah? Have you ever tried to imagine what was happening with Laban when Jacob just packed up his bags and left? Well, this story, set in Laban's tent in Paddan-aram three days after Jacob fled from Laban, explains it all!
Rebekah: (sound of footsteps) Laban! Brother! Nice to see you!
Laban: Set a deal with Jacob to make him stay and work for me some more? Check!
Rebekah: Laban?
Laban: Made sure to swindle him out of said deal as much as possible by stealing away all the spotted, speckled, and striped sheep and goats
promised to him and placing them a three-days-journey away from him? Check!
Rebekah: (bright) Laban!
Laban: AHH! Good God Almighty! You scared me, woman! How did you get into this tent?! Oh, wait... Rebekah? Sister! (nervous) Um, how wonderful it is to see you!
Rebekah: Oh, Laban! I have missed you so much! How is my lovely brother doing?
Laban: (nervously) I'm doing great. Great. Um... how was your journey?
Laban: What kind of complications?
Rebekah: Well, it's a very special sort of camel. You see, it gets me to my destination instantly. That is why I do not have any servants with me.
Laban: Ah, I was wondering why there was no one protecting my beloved sister.
Rebekah: And, it only works once, so I can only stay at my chosen destination for about ten minutes maximum. But on the bright side, at least it gives me a round trip! I named it "Metro."
Laban: Ah.
Rebekah: Yes, do you want to come meet him?
Laban: Oh, no! That's okay! Really!
Rebekah: Anyway, I brought you a little something.
Laban: Aw, Rebekah, you shouldn't have!
Rebekah: Well, it's only proper! And I just wanted to show how much I love my darling brother! Here you go!
(metallic "ding" sound effect)
Laban: A silver bowl! Dear sister, this is too much! You must take it back!
Rebekah: No! I wanted you to have it! Whenever you look at it, it can remind you of me!
Laban: You are too kind!
(pause)
Rebekah: Laban, are you not going to tell me how my son is doing?
Laban: (nervous) Oh, he's doing just fine! He's a man now!
Rebekah: My little, bitty baby has grown up so much! (tears up) Aw. I knew I could trust you to raise him! You were always such a great brother to me!
Laban: (sheepishly/false humility) Yes, well, I guess I'm just the fatherly type!
Rebekah: Can I see him?
Laban: Oh! Well, he's really busy right now, so I think it would be best not to bother him.
Rebekah: Oh, alright. I trust you!
Laban: I'm glad we can have such a good relationship!
Rebekah: I know! (sighs) Oh, Laban?
Laban: (relaxed) Yes, dear sister?
Rebekah: Laban, I have in fact been meaning to ask you a few things.
Laban: Ask away!
Rebekah: How has Jacob been getting along career-wise?
Rebekah: I'm glad.
Laban: Was that all?
Rebekah: No, I also wanted to know what this was! (sound of paper being snatched away)
Laban: Hey! Give me that!
Rebekah: Laban? What is this? A checklist of evil plots against my son? What?!
Laban: Rebekah, I can explain-
Rebekah: You tricked him into sleeping with the wrong woman on the night of his wedding after he worked for you for seven years?!
Laban: I gave him the right one eventually!
Rebekah: You dare abuse the son of your own sister?!
Laban: Now, here’s where we should just agree to disagree.
Rebekah: Are you really that delusional?!
Laban: Hang on a second! I didn’t “abuse” your son. I merely hired him to help my cause-
Rebekah: Stop sugarcoating your words, you rotten piece of kumquat!
Laban: Now calm down, let's just talk this through.
Rebekah: Talk this through?! Have you misplaced your mind?! You dare misuse my favorite son?!
Laban: Slow down now! I never said that! All I did was --
Rebekah: (shouting) I DON’T CARE! You had the nerve to write a checklist of all the evil ploys you could carry out upon him?! Good God! I cannot believe how many terrible things you did to him! What did you think you were doing? You did not even bother to think I would ever find out? The thought that someone might go up to you and fight for Jacob's rights never even came into your puny, little mind? How could you do this? You are his uncle! I cannot believe you would stoop this low! I am going to give you the whipping of your life!
Laban: Great! You made the whole tent fall down! You’re going to have to pay for that! I don’t have insurance on this tent!
Rebekah: Let that be a reminder to you never to use my son wrongfully for your own selfish desires ever again!
Laban: What we need to do is just talk our differences out without trying to beat the pulp out of each other. Okay? Are you willing to do that for me? Your brother?
Rebekah: As disgusting a creature as you are I will agree to have a conversation with you without rearranging your face.
Laban: Thank you. First of all, let me just say that that was pretty sneaky how you came in here, acting all chummy with me, and then starting to beat me up.
Rebekah: (primly) I believe I had just cause to.
Laban: Well, I'm not the only one who's done questionable deeds. I heard you turned your back when Jacob tricked his older brother into selling him his birthright for a piece of bread and a bowl of lentil soup. And then you tricked your own husband into blessing the wrong son, Jacob, the younger brother, instead of the older one.
Rebekah: You know, considering, hypothetically of course, that I did do those things, they were still done for the greater good. It was God’s will! And at least I did them for someone else, instead of selfishly like you.
Laban: That doesn't change anything, sister. You're still deceitful, and you still manipulated people to get what you wanted, never mind that it was for another person. And you got what you wanted, didn't you? All the best for your favorite son. Maybe he should have been cut down to size. Maybe what I did was for the greater good also.
Rebekah: Don't you dare even think about plotting against my son any longer! You've done enough damage!
Laban: No more violence, remember!
Rebekah: (deep breath) Lord, please help me refrain from murdering my double-dealing, selfish brother. Amen. (another deep breath) Okay, let us continue our discussion in peace. Laban, I just want to say that I'm very disappointed that you broke your promise. Ever since we were little you promised that you would always love my children as your own.
Laban: Well, I lie to everyone. What makes you so special?
Rebekah: (incredulously) I am your sister!
Laban: (smugly) That just makes you more gullible.
Rebekah: (disgusted) Ugh! You are incorrigible! All you ever do is use people for your own gain. You will even double-cross them if it helps you get what you want!
Laban: So? You tricked your own poor, blind husband and then tricked me, your own brother, into a false sense of security to see what really happened to Jacob! I don’t think your using deceit to get what you want is any better than me, well, “double-crossing” people, as you say, to get what I want!
Rebekah: Of course it’s better! I'm a woman! That's the only way we women can get what we want! I can't help it if I'm a woman with ambition. I know what I want, and I generally will do anything to get it. Plus, double-crossing is one hundred times worse. I don't go around actually agreeing to do one thing and then doing the complete opposite like someone I know.
Laban: Even though I might not have been the nicest uncle, it's not like Jacob didn't prosper! Whatever he does, God is right up there with him to make sure it works. I might as well tag on for the ride!
Rebekah: But-
Laban: Rebekah, let's quit arguing with each other. We're not going to accomplish anything this way. Yes, we've done some morally gray things before. But let's face it. It's not our fault! It must be hereditary!
Rebekah: What?
Laban: It must be our father's fault that we're both so devious! Blame it on Bethuel!!!
Rebekah: (unimpressed) Yeah. Whatever. But I suppose I'll forgive you since you are my brother, and at least I know that Jacob is prospering no matter what happens to him. I suppose that that has been my goal from the start, to make sure that whatever he does prospers. Before I let you off the hook though, you must solemnly swear that, as God is your witness, you will never ever plot harm against my son ever again. Understood?
Laban: (meekly) Yes, ma'am. But you must also promise me something in return. Promise you'll stop meddling in my personal affairs?
Rebekah: Deal.
Laban: Well, I'm glad that's over. Before you leave, do you want to see your son?
Rebekah: Well, I do not really want him to know that his mother has been trying to keep tabs on him as much as possible. As much as it is hard to believe, Jacob is a grown man now. He probably will not be happy if he finds out that I am still trying to babysit him.
Laban: True. So, I'll see you around!
Rebekah: Yeah, I suppose. I am glad that we can part ways without killing each another.
Laban: Yes. It was good to see you, sister! Really. And --
(footsteps sound effect)
Laban's servant: Laban!
Laban: What is it?
Laban's servant: Jacob has up and left along with your two daughters and all his possessions behind your back! He has been traveling for three days!
Laban: How did we not notice this?!
Laban's servant: Good question, sir. I guess shearing sheep is distracting? But now might not be the time to think of a proper answer if we want to catch up to him!
(footsteps sound effect)
Laban: I didn't exactly promise you anything! *Gasp!* I bet Jacob stole my household gods too! I must get them back! Jacob will pay for this treachery!
Rebekah: Do you know you sound like such a hypocrite right now?
Laban: Rebekah?
Rebekah: Yes, Laban?
Laban: I think your camel’s about to leave without you.
Rebekah: (shuffling of feet, tent flap opening, continued shouting) Ah! Wait for me, Metro!
Laban: Where’s my checklist? Oh, there! (sound of scribbling pen) Chase after Jacob, rebuke him, get back household gods, try to make him come back and work for me so I can profit some more... I think that does it! Servants! Let’s go after Jacob! (trumpet fanfare) (triumphantly) Chased after Jacob? Check!
*ending music
~The End~
Analysis of the Script
Great Minds Think Alike: A Mixture of Imagination and the Bible
Furthermore, as ambitions normally do not end in inaction, Rebekah uses deception to reach her true motive of obtaining information from Laban to open the doors to Jacob’s success, not caring that functioning as a liar may be morally wrong, but rather having a standpoint of “generally [doing] anything to get” (Vyse 6) what she wants. The fact that Rebekah does not care about serving as an immoral person, as she does not mind doing “anything,” another indefinite pronoun that shows Rebekah’s willingness to use an endless amount of possibly morally wrong paths, to reach her goals. Vyse not only shows Rebekah’s willingness to be immoral by using deceit, but she also makes several mentions to the fact of how Rebekah plays the perfect actress in the Bible, as she constantly tricks people, including her husband, Isaac, just to benefit Jacob, as well as having Rebekah go to Laban under the guise of the forever-loving sister during this script, only revealing her true motives when she loses her temper at Laban’s severe mistreatment of Jacob.
However, Vyse even goes farther to justify fact that Rebekah only uses deceit to fulfill her motivations by pointing out that women back in that age had very little power, so they often had to deceive those with power, the men, into bending to their will, something that Rebekah does very well both in the Bible with Isaac and in this script with Laban. Overall, Vyse creates “Laban’s Checklist” by weaving two different stories from her imagination and the Bible together to illustrate the sneaky character of Rebekah and how her scheming methods never change in her attempt to achieve her most prominent goal: the success of Jacob, her favorite son.
Character Analyses
The Art of Deception: The Dishonest Characters of Rebekah and LabanFurther on in the story of Rebekah’s infamous deed, during the actual event of Isaac blessing Jacob, as depicted in Gustave Dore’s illustration fittingly entitled Isaac Blessing Jacob, Rebekah stands with her body facing inward at the entrance of the room, while her head turns to keep watch for any movement outside, such as Esau’s return, as Jacob receives Isaac’s blessing. Her stance inside the room represents her responsibility for this event, as she feels she must see it through by standing witness to it, but at the same time her head is turned to check furtively outside, proving her heightened state of alertness as this act that she knows to be dishonest is taking place, consequently characterizing her as deceitful. Rebekah’s role as the catalyst for Jacob’s blessing represents the more prominent motif of trickery, specifically in regards to women, that plays a great role in Genesis in the Bible, manifesting itself in the characters of Lot’s daughters, Tamar, and Potiphar’s wife.
Rebekah’s bro
Furthermore, Laban’s greedy character leads him to double-cross others. A specific case that exemplifies this is Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld’s painting, Jacob’s Deal for Rachel, set in Jacob’s first day in Paddan-arm, where Laban is making a deal with Jacob to have Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter shown standing in Jacob’s plain view, as his wife just as Jacob wishes in exchange for Jacob working for Laban for seven years. At the same time, Laban actually desires to traditionally marry off Leah, his eldest who is sitting hidden behind her father, first. Laban’s gentle hand on Jacob’s arm represents his willingness to strike a deal with Jacob, but at the same time his stance shielding Leah from Jacob’s eyes shows his true intent of wanting to have Jacob marry Leah, comprehensively characterizing him as duplicitous. Laban’s questionable act of double dealing with Jacob in order to fulfill his selfish desires shows the larger theme of moral ambiguity that plays a prominent role in Genesis with the characters of Abraham, Sarah, and Jacob to name a few.
Background of the Artwork
Dore - The Art Collection : A Collection of Gustave Dore's Art
The Life of Gustave Dore : Biography of Gustave Dore
The Life and Art of Schnorr: Biography of Schnorr and Collection of Schnorr's Art
Schnorr - The Bible Collection: Bible Illustrations of Schnorr
Webspiration Chart
Reflection on the Process
A Personal Note From the Author: The Thoughts of Evelyn Vyse
On the other hand, I believe that my weakest point in this project shows up in my analyses of the characters Rebekah and Laban from Genesis, especially the original analyses I wrote. Generally, I feel that I wrote much too literal close analyses for both characters. However, seeing as the creation of those close analyses occurred several months ago, I am relieved to know that I had the ability to go back and edit my analyses a bit to improve them as well as knowing that I write close analyses that have a little bit more meaning now. Looking back on this entire project though, I think that those close analyses still stand as my weakest point.
Through this project, I learned that with hard work and undying persistence, I can accomplish nearly anything. This project pounded into my head the lesson of trying again and again if at first I do not succeed, such as in the writing of the script, until I finally come up with a satisfactory product. Ultimately, the biggest thing I learned about myself from this project is that I have a much more persistent and stubborn personality than I thought I did. Though these traits might cause some to think of me as obnoxious, in the end, my persistence and stubbornness allowed me to succeed in finishing this project and probably will continue to help me succeed in other areas in my life as well.
Citations
Bible
The New Oxford Annotated Bible. 1962. Ed. Michael D. Coogan. Augmented Third Edition ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. NewRevised Standard Version.
Pictures
Berry, Roger. Camelphotos.com. N.p., 23 Aug. 2006. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.camelphotos.com/WorkingCamelsP1.html>."Dr Jayne's Victorian Trade Cards." Antique Bottle Collector's Haven. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://www.antiquebottles.com/rl/tc/jayne.html>.
"Isaac Blessing Jacob." Biblical Art on the WWW. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://www.biblical-art.com/artwork.asp?id_artwork=205&showmode=Full>.
"Jacob's Deal for Rachel." Biblical Art on the WWW. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://www.biblical-art.com/artwork.asp?id_artwork=226&showmode=Full>.
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.paskha.net/christianity/bible-illustrations/carolsfeld-bio-germ.htm>.
Just, Felix. "The Dore Bible Gallery." Catholic Resources for Bible, Liturgy, Art, and Theology. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://catholic-resources.org/Art/Dore.htm>.
"Program Application Checklist." Auburn University. Auburn University, n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://www.auburn.edu/research/vpr/urfp/checklist.html>.
Reporter's Notebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.straight8communications.com/quartzsitenews.tv/notebook.htm>.
"Sheep." Glogster. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://tattykitten.glogster.com/sheep/>.
Valentine, Ann Larie. "Stinking Thinking." Anne Larie Valentine, LCSW. wordpress.com, 27 Apr. 2008. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://alvalentine.wordpress.com/>.
Weblog post. Sassy Wire. wordpress.com, 19 May 2010. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://sassywire.files.wordpress.com/>.
Research for the Background of the Artwork
"Gustave Dore Art Images." Art Passions. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://dore.artpassions.net/>."History of Art: Bible Illustrations - Carolsfeld." History of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.all-art.org/history1-bible2.html>.
"Julius Schnorr Von Carolsfeld." World Wide Arts Resources. N.p., 18 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://wwar.com/masters/s/schnorr_von_carolsfeld-julius.html>.
Just, Felix. "The Dore Bible Gallery." Catholic Resources for Bible, Liturgy, Art, and Theology. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.
<http://catholic-resources.org/Art/Dore.htm>.